Scout Adkin wins the Montemuro Vertical Run (© WMRA / Marco Gulberti)
An exciting day of racing in hot conditions in Castro Daire, Portugal, led to victory for Britain’s Scout Adkin in the women’s race and a Canadian one-two led by Alexandre Ricard in the men’s race at the Montemuro Vertical Run on Sunday (2).
The third Gold Label event of the 2023 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup attracted an international field, with 14 countries represented.
Runners took on a course of 10.4km with 1090m of ascent, with a 100m descent a third of the way in. After a fast and furious net downhill loop around the streets of Parada de Ester, athletes then began the long climb up to 3km, before dropping down again for a kilometre, then climbing steadily again to the finish, with one final steep kick up to the summit.
The women set off first and after the lap around town it was Kenya’s defending champion Joyce Njeru, Adkin and Italy’s Camilla Magliano who led the pack up the first climb, closely pursued by a big group. Njeru had managed to pull away by the first timing point at 5km, recording a split of 26:58, and Adkin was just over a minute behind. At this stage it was Kenya’s Lucy Wambui who emerged in third place, a minute behind Adkin, with a gap of two minutes back to Magliano.
Njeru looked strong and it was no surprise to see her hitting the 8km point first, but Adkin had managed to close the gap slightly and was just 50 seconds behind. By the time the runners emerged on to the final section leading up to the summit, Adkin had not only closed that 50-second gap but she had overtaken and opened a two minute lead within the space of just over two kilometres.
Adkin took the win in 1:04:08, with Njeru coming in second in 1:06:20. Wambui held on to third, finishing in 1:09:13, while Magliano took fourth in 1:12:17 ahead of her Italian compatriot Madallena Soma in 1:14:30.
The men set off 10 minutes after the women and following the lap of town it was New Zealand’s Michael Sutton who led up the climb, but the field was still closely packed together. At the 5km timing point Ricard, Italy’s Alex Baldacini and Portugal’s Rui Teixeira were all together, with a split of 24:29.
Men's winner Alexandre Ricard at the Montemuro Vertical Run (© WMRA / Marco Gulberti)
From them there was a gap of 17 seconds to fourth place, held by Canada’s Remi Leroux, and 28 seconds to fifth, which was Alric Petit of France.
At the 8km split the gaps were starting to open, but not by much. Ricard had an advantage of 40 seconds over Leroux, and Baldacini was 10 seconds further back.
As the men emerged on to the final section, Ricard successfully held on to his lead and stretched it out a little. He won in 54:54 and Leroux made it a Canadian one-two by taking second in 56:07.
Baldacini hung on to third, completing the podium in 57:26. Petit succeeded in opening a small gap on Teixeira, finishing in 59:02.
Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics
